Invalid bed



Uct. f7, 1944. A, DISHMAKER INVALID BED Filed Aug. 6, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 17, 1944. A. DISHMAKER I 2,360,404

INVALID BED Filed Aug. 6, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 17, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INVALID BED Anton Dishmaker, Fond du Lac, Wis.

Application August .6, 1942, Serial No. 453,871

9 Claims.

This invention relates to invalid beds the mattress support of which is so constructed and arranged as to be adjusted out of a horizontal plane, and more particularly to invalid beds of the general ty e in which a bed pan carrier is associated with the bed structure and movable by mechanical means into and out of a position of service with respect to the mattress support.

An important object of my invention is to provide an invalid bed having adjustable sections or wings and means for conveniently and eX- peditiously adjusting the wings to various positions according to the needs or desires of the patient occupying the bed.

Another object of my invention is to provide in an invalid bed of the above character, a mattress support capable of being adjusted out of a horizontal plane by the bed attendant for raising the patient from a reclining to a sitting position, together with a bed-pan carrying arm movably associated with the bed and operable by the attendant for traversing the pan into and out of its position of use.

In the preferred form of my invention the mattress support is made up of a plurality of hinged wings adapted to normally lie in a horizontal plane but certain of the wings being swingable to provide a back support and a leg support for the patient when the latter is moved to a sitting position. By virtue of this construction, the patient may be quickly and easily raised with comparatively little effort on the part of the attendant and the pan may be quickly shifted into place so that it may be employed in a natural and convenient manner. My bed is especially suitable for those patients who are required to wear plaster casts, harness or splints and because of which the use of the bed pan ordinarily provided in hospitals is extremely difiicult and unsatisfactory.

Another object of my invention is to provide a bed pan carrying arm adapted to be collapsed and folded against the foot end of the bed frame in an out-of-the-way position but capable of being promptly brought into service, as occasion demands in proper relation to the patient without necessitating the removal of the bed covers.

' Other objects and advantages Will'be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, reference bemg had to the annexed drawings in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal, sectional view taken through the frame of my invalid bed showing my improved sectional mattress support and the means for adjusting the sections thereof in side elevation;

Figure 2 is an isolated perspective view of the mattress support of the bed of Fig. 1 showing its hinged wings and various positions which said wings are adapted to assume;

Figure 3 is a detailed view of a hand-crank used for adjusting the position of the mattress support;

Figure 4 is a detailed perspective View of the bed pan carrier shown in its nested or collapsed condition when not in use at the foot of the bed;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the bed pan carrier in extended position with the cover of the housing partly removed;

Figure 6 is a side view of the bed pan carrier of Fig. 5;

Figure 7 is a transverse cross-sectional View of the bed pan carrier taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6; and

Figure 8 is a detailed cross-sectional view through the bed pan and its supporting platform.

In Fig. 1 is shown in cross-section an invalid bed comprising a head-end frame, a foot-end frame 2, and a pair of side rails 3 extending along opposite sides of the bed and connecting the head-end and foot-end frames in the usual manner. Disposed at an elevation a slight distance above the plane of the side rails is a mattress support 4. This mattress support consists of a rectangular frame 5, of a width somewhat less than the distance between the side rails 3, to which a wire fabric 6 is yieldably connected. The mattress support is of sectional construction and comprises four hinged sections or wings, namely a head wing 1, a fixed wing 8 secured to the side rails 3, a movable intermediate foot Wing 9 and a terminal wing in. A mattress M, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, is adapted to overlie the mattress support in the customary manner.

The wings are arranged to be adjusted by the following mechanism: Suitably supported from one of the side rails 3 is a rotatable operating shaft II. This shaft at the foot end of the bed is journaled in an ear and projects outwardly from one of the legs of the bed frame 2 and is provided with a hand-crank l2 for turning the shaft. This shaft at its opposite end is provided with a worm 13 which engages a wormwheel [4. The worm wheel [4 is secured to an end of a shaft [5 extending crosswise of the bed a short distance below the fixed intermediate wing 8 and rotatably supported in brackets l6 depending from the side rails 3. Keyed to the shaft I 5 adjacent its ends is a pair of arms I! which are pivotally connected at their outer ends to links I8, which links in turn are pivotally connected to the frame 5 of the head wing I. The head wing is hinged at l9 to the forward end of the fixed intermediate wing 8 so that by turning the hand crank l2, shaft I5 is rotated by means of worm wheel l4 to raise or lower the head wing as a result of the push or pull exerted by the carrier arms I! on the links l8. One position of adjustment of the head wing is shown in Fig. 1 and another in the dotted line position of Fig. 2. This elevates the back of the occupant of the bed. One of the brackets I6 is formed in a manner such as to provide a housing for the worm l3 and worm wheel l4, and this also serves to support the worm end of the shaft Upon the opposite side of the bed from the operating shaft H is a similar operating shaft 29, this latter shaft extending below and parallel to the other side rail 3. Shaft is journaled in an ear projecting outwardly from the associated leg of the bed frame 2 and on its projecting end carries a hand-crank 2| for turning the shaft. A worm 22 is secured to the other end of the shaft and this worm meshes with a worm Wheel 23 secured to one end of a haft 24. Shaft 24 extends crosswise of the bed at an elevation below the fixed intermediate wing 8 and is rotatably supported in brackets 25 projecting downwardly from the side rails 3, one of these brackets providing a housing for the worm and worm wheel and a support for the worm end of the shaft. A pair of arms 26 keyed to shaft 24 are at their outer ends pivotally connected to links 21 by means of pins 28 which links in turn are pivotally connected to the terminal foot wing ID of the frame 5 by means of pins 29. By virtue of this construction when the crank 2| is operated, the arms 26 exert a push or pull upon the links 21 to swing the terminal foot wing I0 about its hinged connection |9a with the movable intermediate wing 9, and also to rock the latter wing about its hinged connection with the fixed intermediate wing 8.

Turning the crank 2| under any circumstances will swing the movable intermediate wing 9 about its pivotal connection with the fixed intermediate wing 8. The angle assumed by the terminal wing ID with respect to the wing 9 is governed by the following mechanism: Extending between the arms 26 and the terminal foot wing I9 are links 30. The links 38 are pivotally connected at their upper ends to the wing ID by means of a cross rod 32. The lower ends of the links 39 are pivotally connected to the arms 26 by pivot pins 3|. The cross rod 32 extends through slots 33 formed in the sides of the foot wing ID. The relationship of the links 39 to the terminal foot wing is such that when the links and the associated cross rod 32 abutting the forward end of the slots 33 (the left-hand end in Fig. 1) the terminal fodt wing will brea forwardly, as indicated at A in Fig. 2, when the arms 26 are lowered. When the links are positioned with the cross rod abut the rear end of the slots (the right-hand end in Fig. l) the terminal foot wing ID will break rearwardly, as indicated at B, when the arms are lowered to move the wings 9 and ID out of a horizontal plane. These wings may also be caused to assume the position C when the crank 2| and associated ear is turned so as to raise the wing 9 above the plane of the bed. Also by suitably positioning the links 38 both of the wings 9 and I0 may .be tilted in a common plane, as indicated at D.

Positioning the links 39 anywhere between the two extreme limits of adjustment as determined by the length of the slots 33 effects a corresponding reduction in the sharpness of the forward or rearward break (that is the angular relationship between wing l0 and wing 9) which occurs in lowering the wings out of horizontal position. One selected position of adjustment of the mattress support is shown in full lines in Fig. 2, and it will be appreciated that the adjustment of the inclination of the wing I8 and wing 9 is subject to wide variation. For accomplishing such adjustment, there is provided a control mechanism comprising a screw-threaded shaft 34 rotatably supported within a bracket 35 depending from the rear end of the terminal wing ID at the foot of the bed. The end of the shaft 34 projecting outwardly beyond the bracket is provided with a hand-crank 31 for manually turning the shaft 34. Th inner end of the screw-threaded shaft screws into and out of an internally-threaded bore formed in one end of a rod 38 so as to exert a push or pull upon the rod, the other end of this rod being pivotally connected to swing lever plates 39. The swing lever plates are secured at one end to the foot wing I0 of the frame 5 and at its other end to a bar 49, this bar being in turn pivotally connected to a strap 4| suspended from the cross-rod 32. Thus, by turning the crank 31 the cross-rod 32 may be shifted along the length of the slots 33 and thereby determine the character of the movement imparted to the terminal wing i9 when the latter is dropped or raised.

The hand-cranks l2 and 2| located at the foot of the bed are adapted to be moved to out-of-theway position. As shown in Fig. 3, the crank arm I2 has slidably associated with its outer end a collar 43 having a handle 44 projecting from one side thereof. This collar is normally coupled to the crank arm by means of a notch 45 on the outer edge of the collar engaging a pin 46 projecting from the crank arm. A coil spring 41 encircles the crank arm and bears at one end against a disk 48 abutting a stop lug 49 on the crank arm and at its other end against a disk 48a abutting the collar 43. The pressure of the spring maintains the pin 46 in engagement With the notch 45. The interengaging notches 45 and pins 46 may be increased in number if desired.

When the hand crank is not in use, the collar 43 may be slid along the hand crank arm against the action of spring 41 to disengage the pin 45 from the notch 46 and the collar handle 44 is turned inwardly toward the bed into the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 3. The hand-crank 2| associated with shaft 20 is similarly constructed.

Associated with the bed is a bed-pan carrier K, more particularly illustrated in Figs. 4 through 8.

The bed pan carrier comprises a box-shaped housing 50 and a carrier arm 5| normally occupying a retracted vertical position within the housing when not in use. The housing of the bed pan carrier is supported by and between a pair of uprights 52 secured to the foot-end frame 2 of the bed, the upper ends of these uprights having pins 53 projecting into longitudinal slots 54 formed in the side walls of the housing. By virtue of this construction, the housing normally hangs freely between the uprights with the pins 53 abutting one end of the slots 54 (see Fig. 4) but when the bed pan is to be put into service the housing is swung upwardly about the pivot pins 53 into horizontal position and projected inwardly of the bed until the pins engage the lower ends of the slots, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 6. A sheet metal, channel-shaped brace plate 55 is pivotally connected at its lower end, as at 56, to the uprights 52 and is adapted to be swung upwardly and outwardly of the end frame 2 so that its sides embrace the sides of the housing. Its outer end is provided with latches 51 designed to engage pins 56 on the housing and thereby firmly hold the housing in horizontal position during the time the pan carrier is in service.

The carrier arm 5| comprises a trough of V- shaped cross-section upon the outer end of which is mounted a platform 57a for receiving the bed pan P, while the inner end of the carrier arm enters the housing 50 and travels within a V-shaped slideway formed ina block 58, as shown in Fig. 7. Fixed to and closing the inner end of the carrier arm is a nut 59 having an internally threaded opening through Which passes a screwthreaded operating shaft 60. This shaft is rotatably supported in a wall 6| closing the outer end of the housing, and to the end of this shaft projecting outwardly beyond the wall BI is secured a hand-crank 62. Thus, by manually turning this hand-crank the operating shaft is rotated to move the nut 59 (and with it the carrier arm 5|) inwardly and outwardly of the housing, the carrier arm providing clearance space within its trough for the operating shaft. The outer end of the carrier arm is preferably cut off at a slant as indicated at 5 I a.

When the bed-pan carrier is retracted (as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6) the top surface of the platform 5'la lies in a plane with the top surface of the housin cover indicated at 501). This allows the bed pan to be grasped by the bed attendant and slid off the platform onto the cover of the housing, and thence along the cover to a position at the foot of the bed where it may be conveniently removed.

To avoid accidental tipping of the bed pan P when in use, it is provided upon its bottom with a recessed trackway 63 of such gage as to snugly fit over and embrace the sides of the platform 57a and housing cover 50?), as more clearly shown in Fig. 8. The pan is locked to the platform by 1 means of a pivoted latch 64 on the platform arranged to project into an opening in the pan. The latch is so located as to strike the housing cover and be moved to release position when the carrier arm is fully retracted.

The operation of the invalid bed just described is as follows:

By operating the hand cranks l2 and 2| the head wing I and the movable intermediate wing 9 and terminal Wing It may be swung either upwardly or downwardly from a horizontal plane. And, as has been already explained, by turning the crank 31, the links 30 are adjusted along the slots 33 so as to determine the angular relationship of the terminal wing [0 with respect to the movable intermediate wing 9. As indicated in Fig. 2, the range of adjustment of the wings is quite wide so as to accommodate the bed to practically any position of repose that the occupant Y been explained, so as to drop the movable intermediate wing 9 and terminal wing It, thus lowering the limbs of the patient while allowing the greater part of his weight to rest on the fixed intermediate wing 8.

Next the bed pan is latched onto the platform 51a of the carrier arm 5| and the housing 50 is swung from vertical to horizontal position and simultaneously shifted forwardly of the bed to the limit allowed by the slots '54, the brace plate 55 then being latched to the outer end of the housin to maintain the latter solidly in place. By turning the crank 62, the bed attendant is enabled to project the bed pan (under the bed covers) into generally the position shown in Fig. 1; that is, with the top of the bed pan lying approximately in the same plane with the top of the mattress M overlying the fixed intermediate wing 8 and the patient in straddling relation thereto. The bed attendant now turns the crank 12 so as to elevate the head Wing 1 which raises the patient to full or partial sitting position and at the same time slides him gently forward onto the bed pan. The inclined outer end of the carrier arm abuts and presses against the sloping surface of the mattress overlying the movable intermediate wing 9, as a consequence of which the pan is held firml in place. 7

After use, the bed pan is withdrawn into a position accessible by the bed attendant by again turning the crank 62, but in the reverse direction, so that when the platform 51a abuts the housing 50, the latch 64 is automatically released so that the pan may be slid off the platform onto and along the runway of cover 501), where it may be readily removed by the attendant.

Of course, the adjustment of the patient to the bed pan may be carried out in other ways than that just described. For example, it is not necessary that the head wing be raised, but the pan may be employed with the patient in substantially horizontal position with the wings 9 and I0 dropped only sufficiently to admit the pan between the patient and the mattress. The proper positioning of the patient will depend upon the circumstances surrounding each case, and my bed offers a wide flexibility of adjustment to meet unusual situations.

It will be seen that I have provided an invalid bed of comparatively simple and inexpensive construction and which is convenient and expeditious in operation. An important advantage of this bed lies in the fact that no special form of mattress, sheets, pads or rubberized coverings are required to be employed in conjunction with the bed such as is the case with many invalid beds that have been heretofore proposed, and furthermore it is not necessary to expose the patient to drafts by raising the bed covers when introducing and withdrawing the bed pan.

With the form of invalid bed just described the patient may be placed in a lying position or a sitting position, or any degree of intermediate position, thus permitting him to use the bed pan in any of these positions; or when not using the pan to assume any desired position suited either to his comfort or expediency.

When the bed pan is not in use, and the patient wishes to sit up, as While dining or during convalescence, this may be accomplished simply by raising the head wing and lowering the terminal wing of the mattress support in the manner heretofore described. It is not necessary to remove the patient from the bed, and a nurse can readily handle the heaviest patient without calling in extra help.

It is to be understood that the invalid bed described and illustrated herein is to be regarded as illustrative and not restrictive of the invention since various changes may be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An invalid bed comprising a head-end frame, a foot-end frame, side rails extending between said frames, a sectional mattress support located between the side rails, said mattress support including a wing located intermediate the length of the mattress support fixed in substantially horizontal position, a movable wing located between the fixed wing and the foot-end frame, said movable wing being pivoted at its end adjacent the fixed wing for swinging movement, means for raising and lowering the movable wing into and out of a horizontal position, a carrier arm adapted to support a bed pan at its outer end mounted upon the foot-end frame, and means for extending and retracting said arm in a horizontal plane into and out of a position above and adjacent the elevated end of the movable wing to enable its outer end to abut a mattress overlying said wings.

2. An invalid bed comprising a head-end frame, a foot-end frame, side rails extending between said frames, a sectional mattress support located between the side rails, said mattress support including a wing located intermediate the length of the mattress support fixed in substantially horizontal position, a movable wing located between the fixed wing and the foot-end frame, said movable wing being pivoted at its end adjacent the fixed wing for swinging movement, means for raising and lowering the movable wing into and out of a horizontal position, a bed-pan carrier mounted on the foot-end frame of the bed, said carrier comprising a housing swingable from a vertical to a horizontal position, a carrier arm adapted to be received within said housing and adapted to support a bed pan at its outer end, and means for projecting said arm from said housing into a position above and adjacent the elevated end of the movable wing to enable the outer end of the arm to abut a mattress overlying said wings.

3. An invalid bed comprising a head-end frame, a foot-end frame, side rails extending between said frames, a sectional mattress support located between the side rails, said mattress support including a wing located intermediate the length of the mattress support fixed in substantially horizontal position, a movable wing located between the fixed wing and the foot-end frame, said movable wing being pivoted at its end adjacent the fixed wing for swinging movement, means for raising and lowering the movable wing into and out of a horizontal position, a bed-pan carrier mounted on the foot-end frame of the bed, said carrier comprising a housing pivotally mounted so as to be swung from a vertical to a horizontal position, a carrier arm adapted to be received within said housing and adapted to support a bed pan at its outer end, a screw-threaded operating shaft rotatably mounted upon said housing and threadedly engaging said arm, and a crank for turning said operating shaft for extending and withdrawing said arm from and into said housing whereby the outer end of said arm is adapted to occupy a position adjacent the elevated end of the movable wing and abut a mattress overlying said wings.

4. An invalid bed comprising a head-end frame, a foot-end frame, side rails extending between said frames, a sectional mattress support located between the side rails, said mattress support including a wing located intermediate the length of the mattress support fixed in substantially horizontal position, a movable wing located between the fixed wing and the foot-end frame, said movable wing being pivoted at its end adjacent the fixed wing for swinging movement, means for raising and lowering the movable wing into and out of a horizontal position, a bed-pan carrier mounted on the foot-end frame of the bed, said carrier comprising a housing mounted so as to be swung from a vertical to a horizontal position and thence inwardly toward the head-end frame, a carrier arm slidably receivable within said housing and adapted to support a bed pan on its outer end, a nut secured to said arm, a screw-threaded operating shaft rotatably mounted upon said housing and threadedly engaging said nut, and a crank for turning said operating shaft for projecting said arm from and retracting it into said housing whereby the outer end of said arm is enabled to occupy a position adjacent the elevated end of the movable wing and abut a mattress overlying said wings.

5. An invalid bed comprising a head-end frame, a foot-end frame, side rails extending between said frames, a sectional mattress support located between the side rails, said mattress support including a wing located intermediate the length of the mattress support fixed in substantially horizontal position, a movable wing located between the fixed wing and the foot-end frame, said movable wing being pivoted at its end adjacent the fixed wing for swinging movement, means for raising and lowering the movable wing into and out of a horizontal position, a bed-pan carrier mounted on the foot-end frame of the bed, said carrier comprising a housing mounted so as to be swung from a vertical to a horizontal position and thence inwardly toward the head-end frame, a carrier arm slidably receivable within said housing, said arm being of trough shape, a nut secured to said arm, a screw-threaded operating shaft rotatably mounted upon said housing and threadedly engaging said nut, said shaft extending within the trough of the arm, a crank for turning said operating shaft for horizontally projecting said arm from and retracting it into said housing, whereby the outer end of the arm is enabled to occupy a position adjacent the elevated end of the movable wing and abut a mattress overlying said wing, and a platform mounted upon the outer end of said arm and providing a tongue-and-groove connection with a bed pan for retaining said pan in association with the platform.

6. An invalid bed comprising a head-end frame, a foot-end frame, side rails extending between said frames, a sectional mattress support located between the side rails, said mattress support including a wing located intermediate the length of the mattress support fixed in substantially horizontal position, movable wings pivoted adjacent the forward and rear ends of the fixed wing, means for swinging said wings out of a horizontal plane for moving the patient occupying the bed from a reclining to a sitting position, a bedpan carrier mounted on the foot-end frame of the bed, said carrier comprising a housing mounted so as to be swung from a vertical to a horizontal position and thence inwardly toward the head-end frame, a carrier arm slidably receivable within said housing and adapted to support a bed pan on its outer end, a nut secured to said arm, a screw-threaded operating shaft rotatably mounted upon said housing and threadedly engaging said nut, and a crank for turning said operating shaft for projecting said arm from and retracting it into said housing whereby the outer end of said arm is enabled to occupy a position adjacent the rear end of the fixed wing and abut a mattress overlying said wings.

7. A bed-pan carrier comprising a housing having a. cover and adapted to be attached to the foot-end frame of a bed, a carrier arm receivable within the housing, a platform mounted upon the outer end of the arm for supporting a bed pan, means upon the platform for attach ing a bed pan thereto, a nut secured to the arm, a screw-threaded operating shaft rotatably mounted upon the housing and having threaded engagement with the nut and a crank for rotating the shaft to project the arm from and retract it into the housing, said platform in the retracted position of the arm having its upper surface lying substantially co-extensive with the cover of the housing to facilitate removal of the bed pan from the platform onto and along said cover.

8. In an invalid bed comprising head and foot frames, side rails connecting the same, a sectional mattress support having a fixed wing secured to the side rails and an intermediate wing pivoted to the fixed wing, a foot wing pivoted to the free end of the intermediate wing and means for adjusting the inclination of said foot wing relative to the fixed wing; the combination of an adjustable bed pan support positioned over the foot wing of the mattress support, comprising a housing having longitudinal slots in its side walls, a bed pan carrier arm slidably mounted in the housing, a threaded shaft carried by said housing engaging the carrier arm, whereby the same is adjusted, uprights secured to the bed foot frame having pins engaging in the slots of the bed pan supporting housing and a brace plate pivoted to the uprights in looking engagement with the housing, whereby it is held in functioning position.

9. In an invalid bed comprising head and foot frames, side rails connecting the same, a sectional mattress support having a fixed wing secured to the side rails, an intermediate wing hinged at one end to the fixed wing and a foot wing hinged to the other end of the intermediate wing, the foot wing being provided with longitudinal slots in juxtaposition to its pivoted connection with the intermediate wing; the combination of means for raising and lowering the connected intermediate and foot wings comarms carried by the shaft, links pivotally connected to foot wing and arms, and other links pivotally connecting said arms and cross rod.

ANTON DISHMAKER. 

